Top 10 Tips You Need to Know Before Going To The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

I absolutely fell in love with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, FL. I’ve read the books numerous times, gone to every midnight book and movie release, and last Halloween dressed as Bellatrix. So, basically I’m a huge HP nerd. Currently, I’m reading the series with my youngest son and we finished book 5 right before the trip. This definitely brought the magic to life even more while visiting. You can see all of the Wizarding World in one day if you follow the tips below.

Top Ten Wizarding World Tips

Get to Universal about 15 minutes before the park opens and pay the extra $10 to park priority. Believe me it will be worth it.

The Wizarding World is broken up into Hogsmede located in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. You have to purchase a park hopper ticket to visit both parks in one day. It’s also your ticket onto the Hogwarts Express.

First thing when the park opens go to Islands of Adventure and walk straight to the Hogwarts castle in Hogsmeade. The wait time for the Forbidden Journey ride in the castle is the longest for any HP attraction, so early morning is the best time to go. I stood in line for about 15 min. and when I got off the wait time was already 45 min. long.

Even if you don’t want to ride the Forbidden Journey in Hogwarts at least walk through the castle. They will let you out of an exit before the ride begins. A lot of people do this. It is amazing. You don’t want to miss it.

The Forbidden Journey ride in Hogsmeade and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley are the two best rides I’ve EVER been on in my life. I said “Wow” about 100 times during the Gringotts ride. Some people get motion sick, but I would take my chances.

After you are done with the Forbidden Journey experience, check out the Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge roller coasters nearby. In line at Flight of the Hippogriff you can see Hagrid’s Hut and Buckbeak.

Get some Butterbeer after you finish Forbidden Journey and a roller coaster or two and walk to Ollivanders. You can finish your butterbeer in line while you wait for the interactive experience in Ollivanders where “the wand chooses the wizard”. You can buy a regular or interactive wand in the shop afterwards. The interactive wands can be used to make things move in the windows in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. They have a sensor at the end instead of batteries and I was told they will work forever at the park as long as the sensor doesn’t get scratched. I think it was worth getting one although they are pricey.

Take the Hogwarts express to Diagon alley after you’ve looked around Hogsmeade and tried some spells with your new wand.

Check out the interactive goblin in Gringotts money exchange when you get to Diagon Alley. You can ask him a question and he will answer you. My son asked, “Can I Avada Kedavra you?” and he replied, “Absolutely not. You obviously don’t know you are in a respectable place of business.”

Walk through Gringotts even if you aren’t going to ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. Like Hogwarts, going through the line to the ride is an experience within itself. They will let you exit before the ride begins. The ride is unbelievable.

Hope you all enjoyed these tips! Check out the photos below I took while there and leave a comment if you have a Wizarding World tip you’d like to share or just want to say hi 🙂

Early morning hour crowds are small

Hogwarts/Forbidden Journey Ride

Inside Hogwarts complete with moving portraits

Ollivanders where the wand chooses the wizard

Butterbeer!

Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes

Sugarplum’s Sweetshop

Honeydukes

Sorting Hat in Gringott’s Bank

Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes

Interactive goblin in Gringotts Money Exchange

Inside Gringotts leading up to Harry Potter and the Escpae from Gringotts ride